Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

AZERBAIJANI AUTHORITIES AGAIN CRITICIZE U.S. AMBASSADOR

The Azerbaijani authorities’ criticism of U.S. Ambassador Harnish, the unification of opposition groups and the involvement of NGOs and their use of the media as a means of propaganda are unmistakable characteristics of U.S. takeovers under the guise of democracy although bogus democracies at best.

Kyrgyzstan recently complained of their U.S. ambassador in the same manner before their ill fated revolution.

The Council of the Assembly of the People of Kyrgyzstan has criticized the U.S. ambassador in Bishkek, Steven Young, saying his activities can be regarded as preparations for a velvet revolution.

His activities can be considered as preparation in Kyrgyzstan of a velvet revolution comparable to the revolution in Georgia which is believed to have been orchestrated by U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Lynn Pascoe, says a council statement received by Interfax on Tuesday.
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This is one country after another. Rapid fire.

-Am

AZERBAIJANI AUTHORITIES AGAIN CRITICIZE U.S. AMBASSADOR
Meeting on 21 April, representatives of pro-government political parties again subjected U.S. Ambassador Reno Harnish to harsh criticism for his imputed sympathy for and support of the Azerbaijani opposition, Turan reported. Harnish has met in recent weeks with representatives of the Democratic and Musavat parties and the progressive wing of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, which have aligned in a bloc to contest the parliamentary elections due in November. Harnish also met on 20 April with the leaders of the newly formed Yeni Siyaset (New Politics) bloc, echo-az.com reported on 21 April. Several speakers at the 21 April meeting argued that it is inappropriate for a U.S. diplomat to meet with politicians who they claimed "are preparing to stage a coup d'etat under the guise of parliamentary elections." Parliament speaker Murtuz Alesqerov called for a probe into Harnish's activities after he toured rural areas and met with local opposition supporters (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 14 April 2005). LF

MOVEMENT TO SUPPORT PUBLIC TELEVISION LAUNCHED IN AZERBAIJAN
Some 30 representatives of political parties, NGOs, and the media attended the founding meeting in Baku on 20 April of a movement named Elik Televiziya (Public Television), the aim of which is to lobby for the creation of a truly independent public broadcaster, Turan and zerkalo.az reported on 20 and 21 April, respectively. Participants reaffirmed their disapproval of the appointment of parliament deputy Ismail Omarov to head the newly created Public Television and Radio (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 18 April 2005), and they appealed to the international community to pressure the Azerbaijani leadership to take steps to ensure that broadcaster is truly independent and impartial. LF

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2-tca.asp